WOODSTOCK, Ga. -- Texas Tech will tee off on No. 1 at the Crabapple Course at Capital City Club beginning at 8:40 a.m. ET on Tuesday to begin the first round of the 2013 NCAA Men's Golf Championship.

The Red Raiders enter the tournament as the No. 28 seed, playing in their first national championship since 2010.

"The guys have been playing fantastic," Tech head coach Greg Sands said. "We're coming in with good form at the right time and hopefully that will translate into playing good tomorrow."

Tech looks to keep the momentum going from its final two rounds at the NCAA Regional in Columbus, Ohio two weeks ago when the team placed fifth to qualify for its ninth NCAA Championship in program history - sixth under Sands.

But it might prove to be one of the more special years for Sands and his group, considering Tech has four sophomores and just one senior battling their way to college golf's biggest stage.

Tech has proved it can keep up with many of the team's in the field, including defending national champion Texas. The Red Raiders placed second at the Morris Williams Invitational in April with senior Finley Ewing IV taking home medalist honors on UT's home course after a 7-under par 206 finish.

Then it was sophomore Matias Dominguez that stepped up in Columbus to tie for fifth (2-over, 215) as four different Red Raiders shot 1-over or better during the three rounds.

The team even ventured away from Lubbock last week to play some faster greens and other courses before arriving for Monday's practice round.

The Crabapple Course is playing as a par 70 at 7,319 yards and the massive layout will prove to be a trying test for all 156 players and 31 teams. The course has already proved its toughness in hosting the 2003 American Express Championship (won by Tiger Woods), 2005 AJGA Canon Cup, 2010 NCAA South Regional and 2012 AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions.

"There's a lot of elevation changes and the trees are huge here so if you're in the trees you have to go around them - you're not going over them," Ewing said. "It's a totally different kind of golf than what we normally play, but it's a lot of fun."